Memories
by TheCaptainandThePostulant
Summary: When Maria finds Georg in the garden on the evening of their flee from Austria, she can sense that he's being troubled by something. When he confides in her, will she be able to help him realise that the memories he made with Agathe will never be lost and that new memories will be made once they reach Switzerland? Disclaimer: I own nothing. Please review and happy reading!


**Author's Note: I want to apologize for my absence, but I've had terrible writer's block once again and have had no idea of where to start with much of anything. I have seen the reviews on "Time Will Tell" and I promise that a new chapter will come, but I'm just not sure as to when yet as I've been struggling with writing quite a lot. I hope that one-shots help to motivate me though, and I hope that you all like this little one. Happy reading!**

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Maria ventured out onto the garden terrace in search of her husband just before dinner and sighed when she saw him at the gates that closed off the lake. He was somewhat hunched over, both arms resting on the gates as his hands were clasped and she could tell that he was troubled. He had been quiet and distant ever since he had received that telegram and she knew that the thought of having to flee Austria scared him. He was scared that he wouldn't be able to get her and their children out.

She knew that he was smart and courageous enough to come up with a plan, however, and she had told him that when the two of them had been in his study, but knowing that hadn't seemed to help him much. She watched him run a hand through his hair in what she deemed exasperation a short while later and so, with a sigh, she started to walk down the steps in order to go and be at his side. It didn't take too long for her to reach him and when she did she slid both arms around his middle.

'Good evening, Captain…' She whispered after pressing her cheek to the back of his shoulder.

'Good evening, Fraulein…' He replied whilst resting one of his hands over her own on his stomach.

The two of them stood together in silence for the next few minutes and listened to the sound of the swans, the lake and the rustle of leaves on the tress before Maria left a kiss to his shoulder through his jacket. 'You don't have to do this alone, you know,' She told him after rising up onto her tiptoes to place her chin on his shoulder. 'I'm your wife now, darling, I love you and I want you to feel like you can speak to me when something's bothering you.' She felt Georg give her hand a soft squeeze.

'You've got enough to think about right now with helping the children. You don't need me to make things even harder for you.' He sighed without taking his eyes off of the lake in front of them both.

'Your worries mean just as much to me as the children's do,' She shook her head. 'You can have all of my attention for the time being, too, because the seven of them are upstairs deciding on what to bring with them. Let's take a little walk and then – whenever you feel ready – you can tell me what it is that's bothering you and I can help.' She felt a wave of relief wash over her when Georg looked at her for the first time since she had come outside, a loving smile forming on her lips as he did so.

When he nodded, she removed her arms from around his waist and slid her hand into one of his so that she could guide him to the gardens. She ran her thumb back and forth over his knuckles as the two of them walked in silence, the deep sigh that left him sometime later prompting her to look up at him. 'I shouldn't still be thinking about her…' His voice was so soft that she almost couldn't hear him. 'I thought I'd moved on since I hadn't thought much about her during our engagement, but I…'

He didn't even have to speak her name for her to know that he'd been thinking about Agathe again.

Knowing that he still had more to tell her, she walked him over to one of the stone benches and sat down with him. 'You…?' She pressed with a raise of her brow whilst resting their hands in her lap.

'I saw things that reminded me of her when we were back in Paris. Stores that she used to drag me into, places where we once sat together…' He trailed off for a couple of seconds as he gazed over at the trees. 'You'll think me daft for saying so, but I felt such guilt when I remembered her because I was there with _you_ and I wanted to give you my full attention at all times.' When he gave her hand a squeeze and shook his head with a sigh, she slid closer to him on the bench and pecked his cheek.

'She had such an impact on your life,' She reminded him. 'You had your first real relationship with her, Georg, and she bore you seven perfect children in the time you had together before she died. I know how hard it is to lose someone that you love, darling, which is what makes it easier for me to understand why you can't stop thinking about Agathe sometimes. In a couple of weeks, it will have been sixteen years since I lost both of my parents and I still think about the two of them every day.'

Georg released her hand after looking into her eyes and wound his arm around her waist, allowing her to cuddle up to him and rest her head on his shoulder. He then pressed his lips to her forehead before tracing the curve of her side with his hand through her jacket. 'I can't help feeling that, once we've left, I'm going to start forgetting about her and the life we built here. I still remember sitting on this bench and watching her and Liesl teach Friedrich how to crawl.' He told her with a chuckle.

'How did _that_ go?' She smirked.

'Well, Liesl got frustrated because Friedrich wasn't listening and stormed off to mope.' He recalled.

Maria giggled at the thought and curled her fingers into her husband's shirt before tilting her head back on his shoulder and brushing her lips against his jawline. 'You don't need Austria or this huge house to remind you of memories like that. You're not going to forget them when we leave tonight, Georg, and you won't forget them several years from now because they're going to come with you.' She blessed him with a tender smile when he gave her cheek a stroke with the backs of his fingers.

'I love you, Maria…' He leaned his forehead against hers.

'I love you too,' She reassured him. 'And I can't wait to start making more memories with you.'

Her heart raced within her chest when he laid his hand on her flat stomach through her jacket and brushed her lips with his own, thoughts of the little life that was developing inside her flooding her mind. 'Well, it won't be long until we're going to be able to start doing that,' He said into her ear as she gazed down at his hand and tears of happiness brimmed in her eyes when he pulled her closer. 'Have you given more thought to when you would like to tell the children about our new member?'

'I want to tell them once we're safe and settled,' She said as she looked up at him. 'Then the seven of them can be excited about the news without having to be anxious about other things at the same time. I have a feeling that Marta and Gretl aren't going to stop asking questions for the next couple of months. Gretl once, at the end of our engagement, said that she wanted a little brother one day.' She watched the smile appear on her husband's lips before he tightened his hold around her waist.

'What did you tell her?' He asked.

'I just told her to keep on wishing for one and see what happens.' She laughed.

'I don't mind what we have,' He caressed her stomach again. 'I just want the two of you to be fine.'

She covered his hand with her own and leaned in to press a delicate kiss onto his lips. 'We will be,' The two of them shared a smile before she slipped her fingers through the gaps in his own. 'I think we should head inside. I passed Frau Schmidt when I was coming to look for you and she informed me that Cook told her that dinner would be in the dining room soon.' She then rose from the stone bench and waited for him to do the same before he kissed her temple and started to walk with her.

It didn't take long for the two of them to reach the garden terrace and, once they had, he pressed a kiss to the side of her head through her hair. 'Thank you.' He sighed before she turned toward him.

'What for?' She inquired.

'Cheering me up,' He replied. 'You've always known just how to do that.'

She giggled and rose up onto her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. 'I'll always be here to cheer you up.'

Once she had returned to her normal height she gave his hand one last squeeze and started to lead him inside the house, Georg feeling a wave of calmness wash over him as he knew that things were going to be all right. He would be able to face whatever was thrown at him as long as he had Maria.

As long as they were together.

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**Author's Note: Thank you all for reading this one-shot and I hope you liked it. I also hope that, if you have the time, you'll drop me a review to let me know what you thought of it. I'll see you all soon! **


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